Electric switch operating means



Feb. 3, 1970 'I R, G; CASTLE 3,493,707

ELECTRIC SWITCH' OPERATING MEANS Filed June 10, 1968 III United States Patent O 3,493,707 ELECTRIC SWITCH OPERATING MEANS Raymond G. Castle, Highland Park, Ill., assignor to `Cherry Electrical Products Corporation, Highland Park, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed June 10, 1968, Ser. No. 735,787 Int. Cl. H01h 3/02 U.S. Cl. 200--172 7 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A switch operating means comprises a one-piece actuator for a switch structure contained in a closed housing providing a top wall having an opening formed therein through which la portion of the actuator projects into contact with a component of the switch structure, and a. compartment for pivotally receiving a hinge element provided by the actuator by which the actuator is movably connected to the housing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An actuator for a switch, the components of which are contained in a closed housing providing a top |wall having a passage formed therethrough and a compartment formed therein. The one-piece actuator consists of an elongated lever portion having a free end externally juxtapositioned with respect to the top wall of the housing. The lever terminates at its opposite end into a stop shoulder that engages the top wall of the housing adjacent the compartment formed therein to arrest pivotal movement of the actuator in one direction. An internally located hinge element depends from the lever, and is pivotally contained within the compartment formed in the top wall of the housing. An internal depending actuator nger projects through the opening and has its inner end in contact `with a component of the switch structure within the housing, which when depressed by the movement of the actuator effects actuation of the switch structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The invention consists in the novel structure to be hereinafter described and claimed, and will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the electric switch operating means as it is associated with a switchjhousing;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the actuator land switch components within the housing, with its side cover removed;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the switch actuator;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the switch actuator; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified form of switch actuator.

The switch operated means or actuator of this invention is adapted to be normally associated with an opensided switch housing which is adapted to be closed by a complementary side cover plate 11. Within the housing 10 there is provided an internal cavity 12 containing the components of the switch mechanism.

The components of the switch mechanism, as shown, make up no part of the present invention except for their functional relation to the switch operating means or actuator to be hereinafter more fully described. However, in :order to more fully understand the functional operation of the actuator, the component of the switch structure as shown, include a pair of spaced apart fixed contact bearing terminals 13 and 14, and a fixed terminal-pivot post 15. Pivotally mounted on the terminal-pivot post 15 3,493,707 Patented Feb. 3, 1970 "ice is a movable contact bearing switch blade 16. The switch blade 16 has connected thereto one end of a tension member 17, -which is in the form of a coil spring that has its opposite end hooked upon a stud post 18 provided by the housing 10.

Formed in the top wall 19 of the :switch housing 10 is a passa-ge 20 that has communication with the internal cavity 12. Also formed in the top wall 19 of the switch housing 10 is a compartment 21 having a reduced entrance 22, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained. Both the passage 20 and compartment 21 have their open sides closed when the cover 11 is mounted on to the housing 10 as shown in FIG. 1.

The operating means or 'actuator 23, Aas shown in perspective in FIG. 3, comprises an elongated substantially rectangularly shaped body divided into two angularly disposed sections 24 and 25, with the latter section providing a depending end flange 26. Also depending from section 25 of the actuator 23 adjacent the end ange 26 is a circular bearing member 27. This bearing 27 consists of a relatively thin leg :section 28 of a length greater than and a width less than the end fiange 26, and terminates into an enlarged circular head 29 which functions as a hinge for the actuator 23. The bearing member 27 is 'adapted to be projected into the compartment 21 formed in the top wall 19 through the open side of the switch housing 10, with the circular head or hinge 29 disposed therein, and with the leg section 28 positioned in the reduced entrance 22 provided by the compartment 21 as clearly shown in FIG. 2.

Extending in a downward direction from the underside of the actuator 23, in alignment with the point of angular displacement between the sections 24 and 25 thereof, is a plunger or actuating finger 30. This plunger 30 provides an arcuated medial portion 31, the configuration of which conforms to a peripheral line subscribed about a center point or 4axis projected through the circular head 29 of the hinged ibearing 27.

The actuating plunger 30 terminates into a trip end 32 which is laterally offset with respect to the medial portion 31 and generally lies in a plane parallel to the le-g section 28 of the bearing 27. At the junction between the trip end 32 and the medial portion 31 of the actuating finger 30 there is provided a stop shoulder 33 adapted to engage the underside 34 of the top wall 19 adjacent to the passage 20 formed therein as clearly shown in FIG. 2.

When the actuator 23 is operatively associated with the switch housing 10 the hinge ybearing 27, as aforementioned, is positioned in the compartment 21, While the actuating finger 30 is projected into the passage 20 formed in the top wall 19 of the housing 10. The cover 11 when placed over the open side of the housing 10, closes the open sides of the passage 20 and compartment 21, and retains the actuating finger 30 as well as the hinge bearing member 27, respectively, therein. In such position the trip end 32 will engage the spring 17 of the switch components positioned within the switch housing 10i. The normal resiliency of the spring 17 will pivot the actuator 23 into its first position as shown in FIG. 2 wherein the stop shoulder 33 engages the Wall 34, and resists further upward pivotal movement of the actuator 23.

Upon depression of the actuator 23 through movement of the end section 24 in an anticlockwise direction, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the actuator 23 will pivot about the circular head 29 of the hinge bearing 27 so that the medial portion 31 of the actuating linger 30 will move through the passage 20 with the trip end 32 thereof depressing the spring 17 to effect pivotal movement of the switch blade 16.

As shown in FIG. 5 the modified actuator 35 may be designed to provide a simple arcuated actuating finger 36 which lies in a peripheral line subscribed about the axis of the circular hinge member 37 positioned within a compartment 38 formed in the switch housing. In such a modified form the upward or clockwise movement of the actuator 35, as seen in FIG. 5, is arrested by the stop 39 formed at the one end of the actuator 35.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I have provided an integral switch lever and actuator, which is conveniently pivotally connected to a switch housing, and correctly positioned with respect to the switch components contained within the housing for proper actuation thereof when the switch operating means is pivoted relative thereto. The actuating portion which includes the trip end is moved through a guided path within the housing so that it engages and deforms the spring at a proper time and to a determined degree to effect pivotal movement of the switch blade associated therewith.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. An actuator for a switch including an open-sided housing for the switch components, one of which comprises a spring member, the top wall of the housing having formed therein and spaced from each other a normally open-sided compartment and passage which, with the housing, are closed by a side cover wherein the improvement comprises:

(a) an elongated substantially rectangularly shaped actuator lever exteriorally of the top wall of the housing and having a rst position above the spaced apart compartment and passage formed therein,

(b) means provided by said lever adjacent one end thereof and contained within the compartment for pivotally connecting the lever to the housing,

(c) a plunger depending from said lever and spaced from said means so as to be movably positioned in the passage formed through the top wall of the housing, and providing an end member movable against the spring for effecting actuation of the switch when said lever is pivoted about said means relative to the. top wall of the housing,

(d) with the spring yieldably resisting inward movement of said plunger through said passage so as to maintain said lever in its first position with respect to the housing, and

(e) means provided by said lever for arresting pivotal movement of said plunger by the spring in one direction relative to the top wall of the housing and for maintaining said lever in its first position.

2. An actuator for a switch as defined by claim 1 wherein said means pivotally connecting said lever to the 3. An actuator for a switch as defined by claim 1 wherein said plunger includes a portion actuated along a peripheral line subscribed about the axis of said first mentioned means with said portion movable through the passage into said housing-said plunger providing an offset end portion in contact with the spring at a predetermined point along the length thereof so as to effect movement of the spring by pivotal movement of said lever relative to the top wall of said housing and said plunger through said passage to effect actuation of the switch.

4. An actuator as defined by claim 2 wherein said plunger includes a portion arcuated along a peripheral line subscribed about the axis of said circular hinge-like bearing member contained in the compartment formed in the top wall of the housing and an offset end portion within said housing and in contact with the spring at a predetermined point so as to effect movement of the spring as said plunger is moved through said passage as said lever is pivoted about said hinge-like bearing member t0 effect actuation of the switch.

5. An actuator for a switch as defined by claim 1 wherein said means which arrests pivotal movement of said plunger by the spring in one direction relative to the top wall of the housing comprises a stop shoulder formed on said plunger positioned within the housing and adapted to Contact the under side of the top wall thereof adjacent the passage formed therethrough.

6. An actuator for a switch as defined by claim 5 wherein said means Vpivotally connecting said lever to the housing comprises a circular hinge-like bearing member placed into the compartment formed in the top wall of the housing through its open side and contained therein by the side cover.

7. An actuator for a switch as defined by claim 5 wherein said plunger includes a portion arcuated along a peripheral line subscribed about the axis of said circular hinge-like bearing member contained in the cornpartment formed in the top wall of the housing and an offset end portion within said housing and in contact with the spring at a predetermined point so as to effect movement of the spring as said plunger is moved through said passage as said lever is pivoted about said hinge-like bearing member to effect actuation of the switch. l

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,410,899 11/1946 Pye 200-157 X 2,898,428 8/1959 Holden. 3,073,923 1/1963 Anderson et al. 3,098,904 7/1963 Anderson. 3,141,075 7/1964 Brevick et al. 3,336,458 8/1967 Hadley. 3,382,339 5/1968 Anderson.

HERMAN O. l ONES, Primary Examiner Us. C1. XR, ZOO-15.3 

